Reference materials

A list of widely known and used reference materials(*) for laser ablation ICP-MS analysis

(*) please note that we prefer using the term "reference material" for natural samples represented by well-characterized minerals (e.g. zircon, titanite, apatite, ...) rather than "standard", "standard reference material" or "certified reference material". These terms should be limited to synthetic or transformed and homogenized natural materials with certified elemental or isotopic compositions.

Zircon; U-Pb dating (as of 2008 with minor updates)

Ref. material Ref. Age (Ma) U (ppm) Pbrad (ppm) Grain size Comments
QGNG# [1]  1850 35 – 1151 N/A 0.05 – 0.3 mm Available from rock outcrop; probable Pb loss
AS3, FC-1 [2]  1099 113 – 626 22 – 135 up to 0.5 mm Available from rock outcrop; probable Pb loss
91500 [3]  1065 71 – 86 13 – 16 variable size; 238g www.iageo.com
Mud Tank [4]  732 6.1 – 36.5 0.73 – 4.39 mm – cm Available from rock outcrop
GJ-1*# [5]  609 212 – 422 19.3 – 37.4 ca. 1 cm Several crystal from a gem dealer
SL 13# [6]  572 240 ± 20  N/A N/A One single crystal; probable Pb loss
z6266 (Br266) [7]  559 871 – 958 76.5 – 84.2 2 – 5 mm 2.5 g prepared for distribution
R33 [8]  419 61 – 398  N/A N/A Available from rock outcrop; probable Pb loss
Temora 1 [9]  417 64 – 846 14.3 (aver.) up to 0.6 mm Available from rock outcrop
Temora 2 [8]  417 82 – 320  N/A 0.05 – 0.3 mm Available from rock outcrop
Plešovice [10]  337 465 - 3084 21 – 158 1 – 6 mm Available from rock outcrop, contact

61.308A*,

61.308B*

 [3]

 2.5

 132 – 242 0.064 – 0.131 0.49 and 0.71 g crystals Limited supply; very small sample

G42728A*,

G42728B*

 [3]  1 21.3 – 26 0.0026 – 0.0044 1.86 g crystals Limited supply; very small sample

References:

[1] - Black, L.P., Kamo, S.L., Williams, I.S., Mundil, R., Davis, D.W., Korsch, R.J., Foudoulis, C., 2003. The application of SHRIMP to phanerozoic geochronology: a critical appraisal of four zircon standards. Chemical Geology 200, 171-188.

[2] - Paces, J.B., Miller, J.D., 1993. Precise U–Pb ages of Duluth Complex and related mafic intrusions, northeastern Minnesota: geochronological insights into physical, petrogenetic, paleomagnetic and tectonomagmatic processes associated with the 1.1 Ga midcontinent rift system. Journal of Geophysical Research 98, 13997-14013.

[3] - Wiedenbeck, M., Alle, P., Corfu, F., Griffin, W.L., Meier, M., Oberli, F., von Quadt, A., Roddick, J.C., Spiegel, W., 1995. Three natural zircon standards for U–Th–Pb, Lu–Hf, trace element and REE analyses. Geostandards Newsletter 19, 1-23.

[4] - Black, L.P., Gulson, B.L., 1978. The age of the Mud Tank carbonatite, Strangways Range, Northern Territory. BMR Journal of Australian Geology and Geophysics.. 3, 227-232.

[5] - Jackson, S.E., Pearson, N.J., Griffin, W.L., Belousova, E.A., 2004. The application of laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry to in situ U–Pb zircon geochronology. Chemical Geology 211, 47-69.

[6] - Kinny, P.D., Compston, W., Williams, I.S., 1991. A reconnaissance ion-probe study of hafnium isotopes in zircons. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 55, 849-859.

[7] - Stern, R.A., 2001. A new isotopic and trace element standard for the ion microprobe: preliminary TIMS U-Pb and electron microprobe data, current research. Radiogenic Age and Isotopic Studies: Report 14. Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, Canada.

[8] - Black, L.P., Kamo, S.L., Allen, C.M., Davis, D.W., Aleinikoff, J.N., Valley, J.W., Mundil, R., Campbell, I.H., Korsch, R.J., Williams, I.S., Foudoulis, C., 2004. Improved Pb-206/U-218 microprobe geochronology by the monitoring of a trace-element-related matrix effect; SHRIMP, ID-TIMS, ELA-ICP-MS and oxygen isotope documentation for a series of zircon standards. Chemical Geology 205, 115-140.

[9] - Black, L.P., Kamo, S.L., Allen, C.M., Aleinikoff, J.N., Davis, D.W., Korsch, R.J., Foudoulis, C., 2003. TEMORA 1: a new Zircon standard for phanerozoic U-Pb geochronology. Chemical Geology 200, 155-170.

[10] - Slama, J., Kosler, J., Condon, D.J., Crowley, J.L., Gerdes, A., Hanchar, J.M., Horstwood, M.S.A., Morris, G.A., Nasdala, L., Norberg, N., Schaltegger, U., Schoene, N., Tubrett, M.N., Whitehouse, M.J., 2008. Plesovice zircon - a new natural reference material for U-Pb and Hf isotopic microanalysis. Chemical Geology, 249, 1-2, 1-35.